Apparently Sterling believed his $2.5 million fine and lifetime ban from the NBA would be lifted once he sold the Clippers. The LA Times cited a source familiar with the league’s stance who said that is not the case.

“In terms of saying something in a draft press release that indicated they would be dismissing the lifetime ban and the fine, that is not true at all,” the source reportedly said. “That doesn’t mean that [Sterling] wouldn’t have read something like that into it.

“But if they interpreted it that way that is wrong and there is no thought of lifting the lifetime ban or the fine being rescinded.”

Sterling’s wife Shelly, who said she is in charge of the Sterling Family Trust and does not need Donald’s signature, negotiated the sale of the Clippers. However, Ballmer prefers to have both Shelly and Donald sign off to avoid the risk of Donald later claiming that control of the Family Trust was illegally taken from him.